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What is a Charter School, Anyway?

As the United States slips further down the international academic rankings, we must innovate. Charter schools can help. Here’s how.

First, what exactly is a charter school?

Simply put, a charter school is a privately managed public school. Charter schools are allowed to operate by a contract—or charter—with the state. According to the Center for Education Reform, “a good charter law provides automatic exemptions from most of the school district’s laws and regulations.“This doesn’t mean charter schools can violate fundamental laws concerning civil rights, but they have more freedom to innovate in ways that traditional public schools cannot.